The present invention is directed to an exercise sitting apparatus named “Swivel Hips” that permits a user, who may have normal health, be disabled, have impaired health or be recovering from an illness, sports (or other) injury, accident, surgery or other medical treatment or intervention, and who may have a normal or limited (less than normal) range of motion, to develop, strengthen, stretch, increase the flexibility of and/or rehabilitate one or more of a wide variety of muscles, such as the abdominal, lower back, external oblique and/or hip flexor muscles, or body parts, such as the neck, shoulders, back, hips, abdomen, legs and/or arms.
1. Background
There are more than 600 muscles in the body, which together account for about 40 percent of an individual's weight. Most skeletal muscles have names that describe some feature of the muscle. Often several criteria are combined into one name. Terms that relate to muscle features, and that are used in naming muscles, include size [vastus (huge), maximus (large), longus (long), minimus (small) and brevis (short)], shape [deltoid (triangular), rhomboid (like a rhombus with equal and parallel sides), latissimus (wide), teres (round) and trapezius (like a trapezoid, a four-sided figure with two sides parallel)], direction of fibers [rectus (straight), transverse (across), oblique (diagonally) and orbicularis (circular)], location [pectoralis (chest), gluteus (buttock or rump), brachii (aim), supra- (above), infra- (below), sub- (under or beneath) and lateralis (lateral)], number of origins [biceps (two heads), triceps (three heads) and quadriceps (four heads)], origin and insertion [sternocleidomastoideus (origin on the sternum and clavicle, insertion on the mastoid process) and brachioradialis (origin on the brachium or arm, insertion on the radius)], action [abductor (to abduct a structure), adductor (to adduct a structure), flexor (to flex a structure), extensor (to extend a structure), levator (to lift or elevate a structure) and masseter (a chewer)].
Some of the significant muscles of the human body are arranged in groups according to location and/or function. The muscles of the abdominal wall or trunk, for example, include those that move the vertebral column, the muscles that form the thoracic and abdominal walls, and those that cover the pelvic outlet. These muscles include the pectoralis major, external oblique, internal oblique, rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis.
The erector spinae group of muscles on each side of the vertebral column is a large muscle mass that extends from the sacrum to the skull. These muscles are primarily responsible for extending the vertebral column to maintain erect posture. The deep back muscles occupy the space between the spinous and transverse processes of adjacent vertebrae.
The muscles of the thoracic wall are involved primarily in the process of breathing. The intercostal muscles are located in spaces between the ribs. They contract during forced expiration. External intercostal muscles contract to elevate the ribs during the inspiration phase of breathing. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle that forms a partition between the thorax and the abdomen. It has three openings in it for structures that have to pass from the thorax to the abdomen.
The abdomen, unlike the thorax and pelvis, has no bony reinforcements or protection. The wall consists entirely of four muscle pairs, arranged in layers, and the fascia that envelops them.
Neck muscles include the sternocleidomastoid and the trapezius muscles. The muscles of the upper extremity include those that attach the scapula to the thorax and generally move the scapula, those that attach the humerus to the scapula and generally move the arm, and those that are located in the arm or forearm that move the forearm, wrist, and hand. Some of these muscles include the deltoid, biceps brachii, brachioradialis and triceps brachii. Muscles that move the shoulder and arm include the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. The pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, deltoid, and rotator cuff muscles connect to the humerus and move the arm. The muscles that move the forearm are located along the humerus, which include the triceps brachii, biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis.
The muscles that move the thigh have their origins on some part of the pelvic girdle and their insertions on the femur. The largest muscle mass belongs to the posterior group, the gluteal muscles which, as a group, abduct the thigh. The iliopoas, an anterior muscle, flexes the thigh. The muscles in the medial compartment adduct the thigh. Some of the muscles of the lower extremity include the sartorius, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior and soleus.
Muscles that move the leg are located in the thigh region. The quadriceps femoris muscle group straightens the leg at the knee. The hamstrings are antagonists to the quadriceps femoris muscle group, which are used to flex the leg at the knee.
The muscles located in the leg that move the ankle and foot are divided into anterior, posterior and lateral compartments. The tibialis anterior, which dorsiflexes the foot, is antagonistic to the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, which plantar flex the foot.
Individuals who suffer from neck, shoulder, arm, upper back, mid back, lower back, hip, leg, foot, muscle and/or other types of pain are often encouraged by physicians and physical therapists to participate in their own recovery through exercise and physical therapy. These individuals can generally reduce or eliminate their pain, and/or improve their ability for avoiding recurrences of pain, by rehabilitating their painful body part or muscles through appropriate exercise, whether they are experiencing their first bout with pain or have had extensive treatments or surgeries. These individuals, however, are seldom given the tools that are needed to accomplish this rehabilitation on their own, or in their own environment (home, office, other place of employment, etc.).
It would be very beneficial to provide a cost-effective, mobile, adjustable, versatile, reliable and easy-to-use exercise sitting apparatus that permits a user to develop, strengthen, stretch, increase the flexibility of and/or rehabilitate, and to eliminate or reduce pain (if present) associated with, a wide variety of muscles and/or body parts, and that may be easily manufactured and/or marketed.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,057 describes a chair that is stated to be accommodating for children with cerebral palsy and to allow such children to develop more normally. The chair is stated to comprise a board-type back, a board-type seat, a pair of parallel disposed board-type brackets, a strap having means for fastening the ends thereof and a pair of adjustable, removable arm rests.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,440 describes a wheelchair exercise system for allowing wheelchair users to strengthen, rehabilitate and develop their muscles. The wheelchair exercise system is stated to comprise a wheelchair having a frame, a seat coupled to the frame, a backrest, a pair of ground rear wheels, a pair of downwardly depending front legs, a front yoke, a front axle and a pair of foot pedals.